Kevin McGettigan strike sees Naomh Conaill pip Aodh Ruadh

The Easter weekend finished with a second defeat for Aodh Ruadh, but the battling manner of this clash in Father Tierney Park will give them much heart for the remainder of the Division 1 league programme.

Aodh Ruadh 1-12 Naomh Conaill 0-16

Report courtesy of John Hughes, aodhruadh.org

Naomh Conaill played the first half with the benefit of a strong following breeze in the Rock Hospital end of the ground. The made full use of it to rattle over ten points, while Aodh Ruadh could only muster four in response.

It was the hosts who were off the mark first though, David McGurrin clipping over a free from 25 metres out on the left.

Glenties hit back straight away with a free of their own, this a well struck Dermot Molloy dead ball.

The visitors were in front after six minutes when Ethan O’Donnell sent over from the edge of the penalty area after some neat build up from Naomh Conaill.

Then Ciaran Thompson thumped over a towering point with the help of the strong backing breeze to put two in it as Glenties began to take control.

On the quarter hour mark Glenties were able to extend their advantage when Dermot Molloy pointed a free from 45 metres after a softish free award from Marc Brown.

Aodh Ruadh hit back with their first fluent move of the match which was well finished by Shane McGrath.

The run up to the break saw a flurry of scoring, with Glenties enjoying the lion’s share of the returns.

First John O’Malley sent over a free from the left with six minutes to run to the break.

Than Aodh Ruadh were very frustrated to be blown for over-carrying in the attack. Insult was added to injury when Naomh Conaill merrily flew up the pitch and Logan Quinn slipped over from near range.

David Dolan then fired over well after a phase of play which saw Aodh Ruadh getting their fourth and fifth frees of the half. Naomh Conaill had 12 at that point.

Diarmaid McInerney then split the posts after a good Aodh Ruadh attacking move.

However the last say of the half went to Naomh Conaill who won the kick out and worked the ball quickly up the pitch to John O’Malley who eased over his third point of the first 30.

Aodh Ruadh needed the first score of the new half, but it went the way of Glenties off the boot of Dermot Molloy with a free.

However Aodh Ruadh did hit back four minutes later with a Diarmaid McInerney free after Conor Patton was tackled poorly and had to leave the pitch with Paddy Gillespie on as a blood sub.

The Ernesiders ate further into the lead when Diarmaid McInerney sliced over a brilliant free off the outside of the right boot from the right of the pitch after a foul on Darren Drummond.

However Ballyshannon’s errors were to cost them dearly in this game and a sloppy foul was punished from 13 metres by John O’Malley.

As the game moved into the final quarter the hosts finally start to the throw off the shackles. It started when Nathan Boyle took a brilliant mark on brother Peter’s kick out. The ball was worked in to Paddy Gillespie whose goal shot was blocked, but David McGurrin was there to tap home the loose ball.

At 1-7 to 0-13 it was suddenly game on.

Another glorious free off the outside of the boot from Diarmaid McInerney two minutes later cut the deficit to two points. Then Darren Drummond won the Glenties kick out and fed David McGurrin who split the posts with a nice shot.

Glenties edged away again when Logan Quinn pointed after Aodh Ruadh were caught napping from a quick free.

However David McGurrin cut the margin back to one again with a sublime left footed shot on the run from out on the left.

In the 55th minute it was tit for tat once more as Eoin Wade clipped over a nice shot from out on the left, but Aodh Ruadh hit back straight away with another David McGurrin point.

Then as the game edged into added time Marc Brown played a good advantage and David Dolan took full advantage, belting over a marvellous score off off left peg to finally level the match.

Aodh Ruadh looked like they might just pull out a winner, but they fluffed their lines from a late free on the sideline. It didn’t got the full distance and from the turn over free Glenties tore through the Ballyshannon defence and Kevin McGettigan popped up at the end of the move to flight over what was to be the winning point.

Aodh Ruadh will be disappointed not to have come away without at least a point, but their second half performance indicates that results aren’t far away. Damien Cleary and Colm Kelly were very solid in defence while David Dolan and Conor Patton grew into the game the longer it went on. Up front David McGurrin and Diarmuid McInerney made the most of the chances that came their way.

Ciaran Thompson, back after his red card the first day out was rescinded, was a big influence for Naomh Conaill. The accuracy of Dermot Molloy and John O’Malley was well complimented by the lively Logan Quinn who took two important points.